Explain the "status quo wins a stalemate" principle in the devguide

[ncoghlan]

BPO	13440
Nosy	@terryjreedy, @ncoghlan, @pitrou, @ezio-melotti, @merwok, @cjerdonek
Files	issue13440_v1.diff: Changes to faq/index.rst

^{Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.}

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GitHub fields:

assignee = None
closed_at = <Date 2012-10-19.12:06:28.792>
created_at = <Date 2011-11-20.23:54:44.175>
labels = ['easy', 'type-feature', 'docs']
title = 'Explain the "status quo wins a stalemate" principle in the devguide'
updated_at = <Date 2012-10-19.12:06:28.790>
user = 'https://github.com/ncoghlan'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2012-10-19.12:06:28.790>
actor = 'python-dev'
assignee = 'none'
closed = True
closed_date = <Date 2012-10-19.12:06:28.792>
closer = 'python-dev'
components = ['Devguide']
creation = <Date 2011-11-20.23:54:44.175>
creator = 'ncoghlan'
dependencies = []
files = ['27541']
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 13440
keywords = ['patch', 'easy']
message_count = 12.0
messages = ['148016', '148119', '148373', '171044', '171066', '171339', '172604', '172627', '172629', '172638', '172747', '173329']
nosy_count = 9.0
nosy_names = ['terry.reedy', 'ncoghlan', 'pitrou', 'ezio.melotti', 'eric.araujo', 'chris.jerdonek', 'tshepang', 'python-dev', 'mikehoy']
pr_nums = []
priority = 'normal'
resolution = 'fixed'
stage = 'resolved'
status = 'closed'
superseder = None
type = 'enhancement'
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue13440'
versions = []

[ncoghlan]

I've linked http://www.boredomandlaziness.org/2011/02/status-quo-wins-stalemate.html in response to enough tracker issues and python-ideas threads now, that I'm convinced it (or at least something along those lines) belongs in the devguide.

It wouldn't hurt to also include something along the lines of:
http://www.boredomandlaziness.org/2011/02/justifying-python-language-changes.html

[merwok]

+1

[terryjreedy]

Or expand 'Reporting Bugs' to 'Reporting Bugs and Requesting Features', perhaps renamed to 'Suggesting Improvements'. My point is that aspiring developers are not the only one that need to read the guideline, not withstanding the fact the some new developers or would-be developers are also enthusiastic in making proposals.

[pitrou]

What would be the benefit of adding this to the devguide?
I'll say it again, the devguide should be short enough to be practical for someone learning to contribute. It is quite wordy already.

[terryjreedy]

Maybe just add links to the two essays.

[mikehoy]

I'd be willing to make a patch for this if you are agreed to just adding a couple of links to it (or otherwise).

[mikehoy]

Would this be the appropriate place for the links to the two essays: http://docs.python.org/devguide/#proposing-changes-to-python-itself

[cjerdonek]

I'll say it again, the devguide should be short enough to be practical for someone learning to contribute.

Better organization could help here. I could see the devguide being a combination of (1) a brief document meant to be read cover to cover that captures the minimum one needs to know (as well as describing what else is available in the guide), and (2) more detailed info that someone could read on an as-needed basis or that a core developer could link to if assisting someone on a certain point (like the point covered by this issue).

Currently, the devguide is harder to soak in because there is no boundary between (1) and (2). A recent example is that I didn't know about the custom repo option until Antoine mentioned it in a comment -- even after having looked at many of the sections. On the plus side, he was able to link to it with the current organization.

[cjerdonek]

Would this be the appropriate place for the links to the two essays:

Personally, I would start out with a question in the FAQ. It could be called something like, "When is a change to Python justified?" and go after or in the same section as the question, "Where should I suggest new features and language changes?"

Then it could be referenced from other sections as needed (e.g. from "Changing the Python Language," "Reviewing Patches," etc).

[ncoghlan]

I'd suggest two things:

Clearly separate "Essential Reading" and "Additional Resources" headings on
the main page.

Add "Tips & Tricks" and "Design Philosophy" sections somewhere.

[mikehoy]

Patch affects faq.rst/index.rst. In faq I put the two links along with some text as Chris suggested. In index I changed resources to Additional Resources and split up the old 'Resources' into 'Additional Resources/Essential Reading'. Feedback appreciated I will incorporate any new ideas into a version 2 and so forth until issue resolved.

[python-dev]

New changeset ec52e044421d by Nick Coghlan in branch 'default':
Close bpo-13440 by linking to a couple of blog posts from the dev FAQ. Also rearrange the main page a bit to address some other concerns that came up on the tracker issue
http://hg.python.org/devguide/rev/ec52e044421d